Se7en

Directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker, Se7en is the story of a soon-to-be-retired detective who teams up with a young detective to investigate a series of mysterious killings based on the seven deadly sins. The film is a suspense-thriller that explores the seven deadly sins as two men try to catch its killer. Starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, John C. McGinley, R. Lee Ermey, Richard Roundtree, and Kevin Spacey. Se7en is an eerie and haunting film from David Fincher.

The film follows two detectives taking part in a week-long case involving a series of mysterious murders based on the seven deadly sins as it becomes more deadly and complex. That is the simple premise of the film as it explores not just the idea of sin but what two different detectives are dealing with as one is about to retire while the other has just arrived from another city. Andrew Kevin Walker’s screenplay has this amazing structure as it is told in the span of a week where Detective Lieutenant William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) spends his last days devoted to this case with the help of his new yet short-tempered partner Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) who has transferred himself from another city with his wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow). In the course of the week, the two delve into mysterious murders as it gets more intricate with each sin that follows where it also becomes more gruesome.

One of the aspects of the script that is engaging is the partnership between Somerset and Mills as it starts off with two men in very different places as the former is uncertain in working with someone that is young and kind of cynical while the latter isn’t sure about working with some old man who probably hasn’t done a lot of action and knows too much. Still, their relationship does gradually develop as Somerset gets to know Mills and meet Tracy where she would bring a warm side to Somerset as she would tell him a secret that her husband doesn’t know yet. During the search of the killer, the two detectives try to figure out what is going on as it leads to that last day where both men are on the same page but there is still that surprise that would lead to the basis of the mystery and the man who committed them.

David Fincher’s direction is definitely dark as it makes no bones that this isn’t some conventional thriller as much of the film takes place during rainy days. While much of the film is shot in Los Angeles with the exception of its climax that is shot near Lancaster, California, the film is set into something that looks and feels like any other American city where it’s kind of seedy and chaotic as these murders only just make things worse. Fincher’s usage of hand-held cameras for some of the chases and action-based scenes are quite engaging yet it is his approach to how he build up the suspense and sense of danger that is entrancing from the usage of the wide and medium shots to capture the crime scenes to the extreme close-ups of every attention to detail of the bodies and such in the crime scenes.

Fincher would also use some intricate tracking shots with the hand-held cameras and steadicam to capture some of the action such as a sequence in a massage parlor where some of the most gruesome acts of murder have occurred. By the time the film reaches its third act as its killer is unveiled, something interesting happens as it relates to the killer and the theme of the seven deadly sins. The climax is interesting as it is all about control as well as what some will do as Fincher presents it with a lot of style from the usage of helicopter-based shots to what is happening in the ground. Even as it lead to moments that are very shocking with some moral implications as it says a lot about the dark aspects of humanity. Overall, Fincher creates a intoxicating yet unsettling film about two detectives taking on a murder case based on the seven deadly sins.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights and moods to play into the film‘s eerie tone for many of the interiors and exteriors along with the sunny but chilling climax as it include some additional work from Harris Savides who also shoots the film‘s opening title sequence. Editor Richard Francis-Bruce does excellent work with the editing with some jump-cuts for some of the high-octane action moments along with some unique rhythms to play into the suspense. Production designer Arthur Max, with set decorator Clay A. Griffith and art director Gary Wissner, does fantastic work with the look of the apartment homes that the detectives live in as well as the police precinct offices and the mysterious apartment of the killer. Costume designer Michael Kaplan does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual from the clothes the detectives wear as well as the mysterious look of the killer.

Makeup supervisor Jean Ann Black, along with special effects makeup artist Rob Bottin and supervising hair stylist/makeup artist Michael White, does amazing work with the look of the victims in the decayed state they‘re in as it play into the macabre tone of the film. Visual effects supervisor Greg Kimble does terrific work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects as it involves bits of set dressing as well as in the film‘s opening title sequence. Sound designer Ren Klyce and sound editor Patrick Dodd do superb work with the film‘s sound as it has a lot of layers into the way some of the moments of action sound such as a chase scene as well as in the way police sirens and sparse moments are presented. The film’s music by Howard Shore is great as its orchestral-based score is filled with bombastic string arrangements to play into the suspense and drama as well as moments that are low-key through its somber pieces. The film’s music soundtrack is a mixture of music from Johann Sebastian Bach, Thelonious Monk, Haircut 100, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Marvin Gaye, Gloria Lynne, the Statler Brothers, Gravity Kills, Nine Inch Nails, and David Bowie.

The casting by Kerry Barden, Billy Hopkins, and Suzanne Smith is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Michael Massee as a massage parlor manager, Leland Orser as a traumatized man at the massage parlor, Reg E. Cathey as the coroner, Mark Boone Junior as a greasy FBI agent friend of Somerset, Hawthorne James as a friend of Somerset who watches over the police library, Richard Schiff as John Doe’s attorney, Julie Araskog as the wife of one of the victims, and John C. McGinley in a terrific small role as a SWAT team leader. Richard Roundtree is superb as District Attorney Martin Talbot as a no-nonsense man who is trying to make sure the case doesn’t get out of control for the public. R. Lee Ermey is excellent as the police captain who is an old friend of Somerset as he tries to ensure things go well while making sure Somerset and Mills do their jobs. Gwyneth Paltrow is fantastic as Tracy as Mills’ wife who is trying to adjust to her new home as well as confide in Somerset of a secret and asking for his advice as she is the one person that humanizes both Mills and Somerset.

Kevin Spacey is incredible in his mysterious role as John Doe as a man who isn’t seen much in the film until the third act where he has this odd presence about him that is intriguing to watch as it is one of Spacey’s defining performances. Brad Pitt is amazing as Detective David Mills as this young detective who is new to town as he’s not keen on having Somerset as his partner as he is kind of cocky as well as be a prick yet Pitt makes him so engaging as well as have him be grounded once he realizes the seriousness of the case. Finally, there’s Morgan Freeman in a brilliant performance as Detective Lt. William Somerset as a man that has seen a lot as he’s about to retire until the complexity of the murder case as he tries to find many things while becoming frustrated with its brutality as he and Pitt have a great rapport as two men who are opposites yet find common ground in the way things have become.

Se7en is a phenomenal film from David Fincher that features sensational performances from Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, and Kevin Spacey. Along with a superb supporting cast, gorgeous yet eerie visuals, and a haunting music score and soundtrack. It’s a film that isn’t just a smart and intricate suspense-thriller but one that is filled with many layers that explore the dark aspects of humanity. In the end, Se7en is an astounding film from David Fincher.

David Fincher Films: Alien 3 - The Game - Fight Club - Panic Room - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film) - Gone Girl

Related: 15 Essential Videos by David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

© thevoid99 2016

The Bonfire of the Vanities

Based on the novel by Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities is the story of a Wall Street investor whose life of wealth and materialism shatters after his mistress had ran over an African-American teenager in the Bronx where a district attorney and many others want to punish the man for their own selfish reasons. Directed by Brian de Palma and screenplay by Michael Cristofer, the film is an exploration of a world gone wrong where a man is being ruined as an alcoholic reporter tries to capture everything that is happening. Starring Tom Hanks, Melanie Griffith, Bruce Willis, F. Murray Abraham, Kim Cattral, Saul Rubinek, Alan King, John Hancock, Kevin Dunn, and Morgan Freeman. The Bonfire of the Vanities is a disastrously incomprehensable and outrageously bad film from Brian de Palma.

The film explores the rise and fall of a Wall Street investor whose life is shattered where he is targeted by many factions including the press, political leaders, racial factions, and religious leaders over the hit-and-run of an African-American teenager in South Bronx in which his mistress actually ran over the young man. It’s a film that has a lot to delve into as it is largely told by a washed-up, alcoholic reporter who would later turn the story into a best-selling novel where he reflects on everything he wrote during an event that would celebrate his achievement. While it is a story that explores the world of materialism, social classes, greed, power, race-baiting, and all sorts of things. It is meant to be presented as a satire where it would’ve been an intriguing idea on paper. Unfortunately, what is presented is something that sort of takes itself too seriously and doesn’t offer very much in terms of characters to care for nor a story to really be invested in.

Michael Cristofer’s script doesn’t just sensationalize things as it plays into the chaos of inhumanity not just in the way many rich, white people are portrayed but also in how minorities are depicted and how even the media and political figures are portrayed with very few that have qualities that can redeem them. While the protagonist Sherman McCoy (Tom Hanks) and the reporter Peter Fallow (Bruce Willis) both go through some development where both of them would sort of display redemptive qualities. The way the development was written isn’t exactly smooth as both of those men aren’t good people either since McCoy is this entitled blue-blood who doesn’t think about how this incident will effect him until he realizes that there are those in the world of politics that want to fry him. His ignorance and indifference about the realities of the world would eventually not only give him a wake-up call where he does show remorse. There is a payoff to his development as he realizes that life he had with all of this money, a Park Avenue apartment, a vapid socialite for a wife, and an immoral job are all bullshit as the moment he snaps is a highlight.

The Fallow character does start off as someone who finds out about McCoy and his mistress Maria Ruskin (Melanie Griffith) where he gets McCoy targeted as a way to work again. Once he meets McCoy by accident where the two share a ride on the subway, though McCoy has no idea who he is talking to, where Fallow has a revelation about what he’s doing though he is still portrayed as some alcoholic schmuck. The other main characters such as Maria Ruskin, District Attorney Abe Weiss (F. Murray Abraham), and Reverend Bacon (John Hancock) don’t really have anything that makes them complex as Ruskin is a gold-digging slut from the South, Weiss is a power-hungry Jew who wants to become mayor, and the reverend is a man who uses racism for not just power but also greed. Weiss and Bacon don’t care if McCoy is really innocent while Ruskin is someone who doesn’t want to own up to anything as she’ll do anything to save her hide by aligning herself with the assistant DA Jed Kramer (Saul Rubinek). All of which would lead to this climax in which Sherman McCoy would take drastic measures for the truth to come out.

Brian de Palma’s direction is definitely a mess despite this start where it opens with a five-and-a-half minute tracking shot of Peter Fallow getting ready for this presentation in a building where it displays that sense of inventiveness in de Palma’s as well as the way he would create close-ups in some of the key events in the film such as McCoy saying he’s sorry in court. While de Palma does create some amazing images and stylistic shots that would include an intimate medium shot inside a subway where Fallow and McCoy talk about what happened where McCoy would reveal something big that would mark a change in Fallow. Those moments along with the scene of McCoy finally snapping where he grabs a shotgun and gets everyone out of his apartment are the few scenes in the film that are worth watching. It’s just a shame that de Palma was unable to really do so much more for the rest of the film where it’s not the script that lets him down. It’s just the fact that it has no real identity in what it wants to be.

It’s not just a lot of the humor and approach to satire that doesn’t connect, it’s also in the fact that de Palma couldn’t do enough to make things more engaging where the many situations get more and more ridiculous that includes this weird dinner scene between Fallow and Maria’s husband Arthur (Alan King). These scenes tend to overwhelm whatever good the film tried to do where it would have this strange climax where McCoy is finally on trial with Ruskin ready to burn him. It is then followed by this monologue from Judge Leonard White (Morgan Freeman) that feels shoehorned as to create a message over everything this movie was supposed to be about. Though White’s words do hold some resonance about the dark aspects of humanity, it is unfortunately ignored over the fact that the people who wanted McCoy fried for his crimes to come off as even worse than they already are. Overall, de Palma creates an unfunny and nonsensical film about a rich white man accused of running over an African-American teenager where everyone tries to tear him apart for their own bullshit reasons.

Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography in the way some of the interior scenes at night are light along with the look of the courtroom and the lighting for the scenes set in South Bronx as it play into that disconnect between the social classes. Editors Bill Pankow and David Ray do some fine work in the editing in trying to create some stylish cuts in the dramatic moments along a few split-screen pieces but much of it doesn‘t really work while the comedic moments don‘t hit it off editing wise. Production designer Richard Sylbert, with set decorators Joe D. Mitchell and Justin Scoppa Jr. and art directors Gregory Bolton and Peter Landsdown Smith, does fantastic work with the look of McCoy‘s lavish Park Avenue apartment home as well as the apartment that Maria would live in that actually belonged to one of Fallow‘s colleagues.

Costume designer Ann Roth does nice work with the costumes from the lavish clothes that the women wear as well as the very cheesy and silly clothes of Reverend Bacon. Sound editor Maurice Schell does terrific work with the sound to play into some of the moments at some of the social gatherings including the scene where McCoy snaps and gets rid of everyone from his home. The film’s music by Dave Grusin is pretty good for its orchestral-based score that play into the world of the rich and important though some of its attempts to create comedic-like pieces aren’t so great.

The casting by Lynn Stalmaster is superb despite the fact that many of the people who were in the film weren’t given much to do or play characters that were fully realized to the point that they just become caricatures. Notable small roles include a young Kirsten Dunst as Sherman and Judy McCoy’s young daughter Campbell and Donald Moffat as Sherman’s father as they’re among the few characters who actually show some good to the world. Other performances from Adam LaFerve as McCoy’s fellow stockbroker Rawlie Thorpe, Barton Heyman and Norman Parker as a couple of detectives meeting McCoy over the incident, Andre Gregory as an AIDS-stricken poet, Geraldo Rivera as a tabloid reporter, Clifton James as a friend of Reverend Bacon who would give Fallow the scoop, Robert Stephens as one of Fallow’s bosses, Beth Broderick as a colleague of Fallow who would reveal a key point in the film’s plot, Louis Giamblavo as an associate of the district attorney, and Kurt Fuller as McCoy’s neighbor Pollard Browning aren’t given anything to do where some are just played for laughs or as people no one can give a fuck about.

In the role of the hit-and-run victim’s mother, Mary Alice gives a very quiet performance until there’s a moment in the film which has this reveal which makes her a horrible person as it’s a real waste of Alice. Kevin Dunn is alright as McCoy’s lawyer Tom Killian as someone who tries to get McCoy to see the severity and reality of his situation. John Hancock’s performance as the Reverend Bacon is just fucking silly as this Al Sharpton-caricature that is supposed to be played for laughs but ends up being really dumb. Saul Rubinek also gives a terrible performance as assistant DA Jed Kramer as this buffoon who tries to do whatever it takes to win and help Weiss as he’s just Weiss’ bitch. Kim Cattrall is just fucking horrible as Sherman’s wife Judy as this vapid socialite who is more concerned about social statues and gatherings while trying to look and act the part of a wife as she doesn’t provide much depth except for the scene where she tells her daughter what Sherman does for a living. Alan King is wasted in his small role as Maria’s husband Alan as he only has a few scenes where the big scene he’s in during a dinner with Fallow is one of the most ridiculous as it displays some of the worst aspects of wealth and power.

F. Murray Abraham, in an un-credited role, as District Attorney Abe Weiss is just horrendous in how brash he is as it’s character that is never fleshed out and is once again a bad attempt at satire that never really connects. Morgan Freeman is excellent in his role as Judge Leonard White as one of the few characters in the film that actually stands for something where he does give this amazing monologue in the end though Freeman doesn’t go unscathed where it is kind of obvious he is wearing a bald cap in the film. Melanie Griffith is bad as Maria Ruskin as this Southern gold digger who cares more about herself than Sherman where Griffith is right for the role but is never given much to do while the script also fails her to make her compelling.

Bruce Willis’s performance as Peter Fallow is a prime example of someone just basically sleep-walking through the film. It’s a performance where Willis doesn’t do much but look and act drunk as someone who is pathetic only to be given this story where he tries to do what is right but Willis would have this smugness to the role that is just wrong for the role. Finally there’s Tom Hanks where it’s a performance that isn’t bad but it is clear he is not the right person to play Sherman McCoy. Despite the moment where his character snaps and just goes bonkers, Hanks was really unable to rise above the script’s shortcomings to make the character more engaging as well as the fact that’s kind of too likeable to play this Wall Street investor that is quite full of himself as it’s really Hanks being completely miscast.

The Bonfire of the Vanities is a horrendous film from Brian de Palma. Nonsensical storylines, ugly characters, wasted talent, and a lot of inconsistency in what it wanted to be. The film isn’t just a bad satire but also a film that displays some of the worst aspects of humanity through greed, power, race-baiting, and all sorts of bullshit. In the end, The Bonfire of the Vanities is a horrific and awful film from Brian de Palma.

Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface (1983 film) - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - The Untouchables - Casualties of War - Raising Cain - Carlito's Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))

© thevoid99 2016

Unforgiven

Directed and starring Clint Eastwood and written by David Webb Peoples, Unforgiven is the story of a former criminal who decides to return to the world of crime for one last time as he copes with a band of unruly bandits and those who are supposed to be men of the law. The film is an exploration of the dark world of the Western where a man who was known as a cold-blooded killer deals with his demons as well as a world that is changing around him. Also starring Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Frances Fisher, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek, and Richard Harris. Unforgiven is an astonishing yet evocative film from Clint Eastwood.

The film revolves around an infamous killer who has given up the life of killing as he tries to start a new life as a farmer as he’s asked by a young man to aid him in killing two men who had assaulted a prostitute in Wyoming. It’s a story that is quite simple as it explores a man who was known for doing some of the most gruesome things in the world such as killing women and children as he is asked to kill one more time in the name of justice. For William Munny (Clint Eastwood), it’s a tempting thing to ask as he does need the $1000 reward so he can do more for his farm as he also has two kids. Once he’s joined by the young man in the Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolvett) and his old partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman), Munny copes with his sins of the past as he realizes he might not have the stomach to do the job. Meanwhile at the town where the prostitutes lived in, its sheriff Little Bill Daggett (Gene Hackman) has taken charge and let the two men go as he decides to do things his way as he serves as a challenge to Munny.

David Webb Peoples’ screenplay definitely explores the idea of sin and redemption as it looms around a man like Munny who was notorious for being a cold-blooded killer. Yet, he is introduced as a man trying to raise his two children and farm while still mourning the death of his wife whom he believes had saved him as he’s sworn off drinking and other vices. Upon being asked by the Schofield Kid to do the job all because a prostitute named Delilah (Anna Levine) had giggled over a man’s small penis which she got beaten and cut up for. Munny’s sole motivation for the job is money as he asks his old friend Ned to aid him where it’s clear how close they are but also in the fact that they’ve both moved on from their past as they are driven by money to do the job. Upon their encounters with one of them, it’s clear that these two former killers not only cope with old age but also the fact that they’re not the same young and ruthless men they were leaving Schofield to do more.

Munny’s story parallels with the one that Little Bill is having as he is a sheriff trying to maintain control but under his own terms as he would humiliate a rival in English Bob (Richard Harris) who would arrive into town, with a writer named W.W. Beauchamp (Saul Rubinek), to do the job and collect the reward. There’s an aspect about Little Bill that is interesting as he is someone that has seen a lot of gunplay that intrigues Beauchamp who is interested in the myth of the West. There’s questions into whether everything that Little Bill might be saying is true as he seems to be very interested in being the subject of a book. Still, he’s a man that is quite full of himself as the way he dealt with Delilah’s assault bears no elements of justice where he lets those two men walk off freely. Even as he asserts his authority in a brutal fashion upon his first encounter with Munny over the fact that Munny is carrying a rifle as he made rules about no firearms in his town. It does lead into a confrontation between the two later on as it relates to what Munny once was but also who Little Bill is as it relates to the idea of mortality.

Clint Eastwood’s direction is truly mesmerizing from the way he opens and closes the film with a sunset of a man in his home near the grave of his wife as it sort of establishes who William Munny is and what he once was. Shot on location in Alberta, Canada, the film does have this feel of what was once the American west in places like Wyoming during the late 19th Century as it’s a time of change as the old rules are no longer welcome. It’s something that Munny has accepted as he focuses on his family and farming though the latter isn’t going so well as he knows he needs money to fix the farm. Eastwood’s direction is quite simple as he doesn’t really go for any stylistic shots but does take great use of the locations as he goes for a lot of wide and medium shots to play into the vastness of the land.

The direction also has some intimate moments as it relates to Munny’s friendship with Ned as well as scenes involving Little Bill talking to Beauchamp in his home which he’s trying to build by himself. Eastwood’s usage of close-ups aren’t very direct though it does play into the weariness that looms over Munny as he is coping with his own sins as he questions about whether he deserves redemption. Even as he would play into the ideas of killing a man as he admits that some of the men he killed didn’t deserve to die as it relates to the task at hand. Still, there is that thirst for justice as it does play into this climatic confrontation between Munny and Little Bill as it doesn’t just play into what is right and wrong but also the idea of who should be the one to burn in hell. Overall, Eastwood creates a very eerie yet exhilarating film about a former killer who copes with his sins as he goes back to his old ways to help his family.

Cinematographer Jack N. Green does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of naturalistic lighting schemes for some of the film‘s daytime exterior scenes to more low-key lights and shades for the interior/exterior scenes set at night including the film‘s climatic confrontation. Editor Joel Cox does excellent work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward with the exception of some key dramatic and intense moments where he uses some jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into its impact. Production designer Henry Bumstead, with set decorator Janice Blackie-Goodine and art directors Adrian Gorton and Rick Roberts, does fantastic work with the set design from the saloons and buildings in the small town that Little Bill runs to the farm that Munny lives in.

The sound work of Les Freholtz, Vern Poore, Dick Alexander, and Rob Young is superb for the atmosphere it creates in the film‘s sound to play into the world of the American West in its small towns as well as the sounds of gunfire and low-key moments for the quieter scenes. The film’s music by Lennie Niehaus is incredible as it’s mixture of low-key orchestral music with plaintive folk guitars play into the sense of melancholia that looms throughout the film as well as the sense of dread that is to emerge.

The casting by Phyllis Huffman is brilliant as it features some notable small roles from Aline Levasseur and Shane Meier as Will’s young children, Rob Campbell and David Mucci as the two men who assaulted and cut Delilah, Tara Frederick as a young prostitute named Little Sue, Josie Smith as Ned’s Native American wife Crow Creek Kate, and Anthony James as the saloon owner Skinny Dubois who would gain ponies as compensation for what happened to the prostitutes. Frances Fisher is wonderful as the head prostitute Strawberry Alice who demands justice for what happened to Delilah while Anna Levine is terrific as Delilah who feels victimized by what happened as she blames herself for what happened. Saul Rubinek is excellent as W.W. Beauchamp as a writer who joins English Bob on a trip as he is fascinated by Little Bill’s views on gunfights and such. Jaimz Woolvet is superb as Schofield Kid as a young gunslinger who is asked to take part in the scheme as he gets Ned and Munny to aid him as he copes with what is expected in tasks like this.

Richard Harris is fantastic as English Bob as an old gunslinger who arrives to town to talk about his exploits and do the mission only to be humiliated and torn to shreds by Little Bill as he plays as a man that is out of step with the times and quite full of himself. Morgan Freeman is amazing as Ned Logan as an old friend of Munny who takes part in the job to get some money as he copes with aging while trying to get Munny back in the game. Gene Hackman is great as Little Bill Daggett as a sheriff who is quite full of himself as he feels like his way is the right way while being very corrupt and brutal in the way he handles the law. Finally, there’s Clint Eastwood in a phenomenal performance as William Munny as a former killer trying to create a new life as he copes with his demons and sins while wondering what his late wife would think as he also realizes the sense of injustice that looms around him.

Unforgiven is a magnificent film from Clint Eastwood that features top-tier performances from Eastwood, Gene Hackman, and Morgan Freeman. Along with sumptuous visuals and an enchanting score, the film isn’t just one of Eastwood’s best works as an actor and director but also one of the most compelling westerns ever made. Especially as it plays into the idea of sin, death, and redemption in the eyes of a man who once a cold-blooded killer. In the end, Unforgiven is an outstanding film from Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood Films: (Play Misty for Me) - High Plains Drifter - (Breezy) - (The Eiger Sanction) - (The Outlaw Josey Wales) - (The Gauntlet) - (Bronco Billy) - (Firefox) - (Honkytonk Man) - Sudden Impact - Pale Rider - (Heartbreak Ridge) - (Bird) - (White Hunter Black Heart) - (The Rookie) - (A Perfect World) - (The Bridges of Madison County) - (Absolute Power) - (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) - (True Crime) - (Space Cowboys) - (Blood Work) - (Mystic River) - Million Dollar Baby - Flags of Our Fathers - Letters from Iwo Jima - Changeling - (Gran Torino) - (Invictus) - (Hereafter) - (J. Edgar) - (Jersey Boys) - American Sniper - (Sully) - (The 15:17 to Paris) - (The Mule)

© thevoid99 2014

The Lego Movie

Written and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller from a story by Lord, Miller, Dan Hageman, and Kevin Hageman, The Lego Movie is the story of an ordinary construction worker who is asked to join a quest to help a wizard defeat an evil lord. The film is an animated feature inspired by the Legos building toys as this ordinary person is believed to be part of a prophecy to help the world of Legos from this evil tyrant. Featuring the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Alison Brie, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Charlie Day, and Morgan Freeman. The Lego Movie is a truly fun and extremely awesome film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

Set in a world where it’s built entirely on Legos, the film revolves around an ordinary construction worker who finds a relic that is believed to be part of a prophecy to stop an evil lord from wreaking havoc and instill conformity as part of his vision of perfection and order. By taking part in a quest with a group of misfits led by a wizard, this ordinary worker in Emmett (Chris Pratt) finds himself realizing that he has been in a world where he doesn’t feel special as those question about whether he is this master builder that the prophecy claim to be. It’s a film with a simple premise yet it has compelling themes on the idea of conformity vs. individuality where the latter is rebelling against the ideas of this evil lord in Lord Business (Will Ferrell) as they’re known for creating things based on spontaneity. Yet, Lord Business is an individual who hates these ideas where Emmett would force this band of misfits to work together and find a way to use their spontaneity to defeat the evil lord.

The film’s screenplay definitely plays into aspects of conventional ideas about conformity vs. individuality yet the balance of that is Emmett as he is just this ordinary construction worker that is just trying to fit in as he works on creating buildings based on instructional manuals. When he meets this mysterious woman named Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) where he would accidentally find this relic, he comes across something where it is clear that he wasn’t meant to find this thing as he would team up with Wyldstyle and this wizard named Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman) who is a master builder that leads a group of master builders. Yet, they’re pursued by Lord Business’ henchman Bad Cop (Liam Neeson) as they trek through different worlds as they do whatever it takes to stop Lord Business from unleashing the mysterious weapon known as the Kragle.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s direction is definitely wondrous not just for the fact that they created this unique mix of 3D computer animation with traditional elements as they would use Legos as their template. It’s also in how they use Legos to tell the story as well as play into how these characters interact with one another and feel like they’re a part of something. It’s part of the dramatic conflict that occurs in someone like Emmett who wants to fit yet he is unable to stand out as many of his co-workers just think of him as just no one. Much of the compositions aren’t just simple but they also have elements of surrealism in the way Emmett interacts with his surroundings as they’re very strange worlds that he is in. Among them is a world of the West, a medieval world, a world set in the clouds, and all sorts of crazy things that is definitely everything that Lord Business wants to get rid of.

The direction of the film also has elements that feels like a low-budget film where it’s clear that Lord and Miller are having fun as if they are playing with actual Lego toys. Even as the sense of spontaneity comes in whenever characters create something to get out of a bad situation. There’s also superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Gandalf, and many others that appear in the film as they do serve some importance to the film as it also plays to how silly things are in the world of Legos. Especially into what the object known as the Kragle is as there are elements that add to this strange sense of surrealism which does bring a sense of joy and weirdness that feels very accessible. Overall, Lord and Miller create a very delightful and extremely fun film about an ordinary construction worker trying to save his Lego world and its people.

Cinematographer Pablo Plaisted does excellent work with some of the lighting schemes needed for some of the film‘s interior sets to play into the colorful look of the film. Editors David Burrows and Chris McKay do fantastic work with the editing to play into the energetic tone of the film as well as slowing things down for the suspenseful moments. Production designer Grant Freckelton does brilliant work with the look of the Lego buildings and other objects to play into the strange world of Legos. Sound designer Wayne Pashley does superb work with the sound effects including the smaller things into how some things are built. The film’s music by Mark Mothersbaugh is amazing for its mixture of orchestral music with elements of electronic and other offbeat music as it also features the song Everything is Awesome by Tegan & Sara.

The voice casting by Mary Hidalgo is incredible as it features voice cameos from Will Forte, Dave Franco, and Jorma Taccone in small roles as well as other voice performances from Cobie Smolders as Wonder Woman, Channing Tatum as Superman, Jonah Hill as Green Lantern, Shaquille O’Neal as a Lego version of himself, and Charlie Day in a very funny voice performance as 80s space guy who always wants to keep building a spaceship. Other notable small voice roles include Alison Brie as a very optimistic hybrid of cat and unicorn called Princess Unikitty while Nick Offerman is hilarious as a pirate character called Metalbeard who seeks vengeance of Lord Business. Morgan Freeman is excellent as the mysterious wizard Vitruvius as he is this wise man that is often in some very funny situations. Liam Neeson is superb as Bad Cop as this good cop/bad cop who is often forced to do Lord Business’ bidding as Neeson also voices Bad Cop’s parents and his good side.

Will Arnett is fantastic as the voice of Batman as this hilarious variation of the superhero who is often full of himself and thinks he is better than everyone. Will Ferrell is brilliant as Lord Business as this evil tyrant who is keen on making sure that everyone is doing things his way in an act of conformity. Elizabeth Banks is amazing as Wyldstyle as this tech-savvy fighter who was trying to find the mysterious relic as she becomes an object of affection for Emmett while dealing with her own flaws as an individual. Finally, there’s Chris Pratt in a remarkable voice performance as Emmett as this ordinary construction worker who learns that he is part of a prophecy that can save the Lego world as he copes with trying to live up to those expectations while admitting that he is just ordinary.

The Lego Movie is a phenomenal film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Featuring a great cast as well as a unique premise that is inspired by Legos, it is a film that manages to be full of imagination as well as bring out all sorts of joy for those who love Legos. Even as it manages to infuse elements of surrealism and weird things that manages to be crazier than it actually is. In the end, The Lego Movie is a sensational film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

Phil Lord & Chris Miller Films: (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) - 21 Jump Street - 22 Jump Street

Related: The Lego Batman Movie - (The Lego Ninjago Movie)

© thevoid99 2014

Lucy (2014 film)

Written, directed, and edited by Luc Besson, Lucy is the story of an American woman traveling in Taiwan where she unwillingly becomes a drug mule only for the drugs to get into her system which allows her to access the large capacity of her brain. The film is an exploration of a woman who arrives into Taiwan as a typical woman only to become less human as the effects of a mysterious drug has her access all sorts of things mentally while a professor tries to figure out what is going on with her as Scarlett Johansson would play the titular role. Also starring Choi Min-sik, Amr Waked, Analeigh Tipton, and Morgan Freeman. Lucy is an entertaining and captivating film from Luc Besson.

While it is believed that humans only have access to 10% of their brain’s capacity, the film questions about what happens if a human being exceeds that and goes to 100%. That is what the film dares to ask where it revolves around an American student in Taiwan who is forced to become a drug mule for a mysterious drug only for the drug to enter into her body where she is able to access the other 90% of her brain. Throughout her journey, she begins to have powers that goes beyond her mental capabilities as she would ask a famed researcher in Professor Samuel Norman (Morgan Freeman) about his studies about what the human brain might be able to. While the premise itself does seem far-fetched, Luc Besson knows that even though it does dare to asks some big questions. Especially as he knows that he isn’t trying to do anything seriously at all with these questions except suggest about what might happen if a person would access their brain’s entire capability.

The film’s script does have a sense of humor in the way it asks all of these questions about life and what the human brain can do while it is more about a woman who realizes about these powers she’s having and what they can do. At the same time, she realizes she is becoming less human in the process as she would struggle with what she’s about to lose. Turning to Professor Norman in his research, the two would try to figure things out as Lucy would also gain the help of a French policeman named Del Rio (Amr Waked) to retrieve the three other mules carrying the drug. Still, Lucy and Del Rio would have to deal with the Korean gangster Mr. Jang (Choi Min-sik) who wants to use the drug for profit as he and his gang would do whatever to stop Lucy unaware of the drug’s powers. While the script does play into conventions of what is expected from Besson in terms of action and such, he does manage to create a story that is willing to ask some big questions though it would have ideas that are quite ridiculous.

Besson’s direction is definitely stylish as he shoots part of the film in Taipei, Taiwan and in Paris with some bits of Rome and Berlin as it starts off in a comical manner where Lucy talks to a guy she meets about a job she doesn’t want to do. Some of it involves some unique shots and scenes that play into the idea of how someone would gain access to the human brain’s capacity. With Besson as the film’s editor, he would infuse a lot of montages that features images of nature and evolution to play into the idea of humanity itself just as Lucy starts to lose her own humanity to become engrossed with the knowledge that she’s accumulating. While Besson wants to infuse something that is intellectual as well as play into the themes of sci-fi, he does infuse some very spectacular action scenes that are quite entertaining to watch where Besson knows how to present the action and not make it chaotic. Though the overall results of the film is uneven where it wants to be all sorts of things. Besson still manages to make a film that dares to ask some big questions while not wanting to take itself very seriously.

Cinematographer Thierry Arbogast does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the way it captures the vibrancy of the nighttime exterior scenes in Taipei to the more naturalistic look of the scenes in Paris. Production designer Hugues Tissandier and set decorator Evelyne Tissandier do fantastic work with the look of Mr. Jang‘s penthouse as well as the lab where Professor Norman works at. Costume designer Olivier Beriot does terrific work with some of the clothes that Lucy wears in her many adventures.

Visual effects supervisor Nicholas Brooks is brilliant for the design and such that Lucy would see as well as some of the special effects that would revolve around her mind. Sound designers Guillaume Bouchateau, Aymeric Devoldere, and Shannon Mills do superb work with the sound effects in the film as well as in some of the sound montages that would play into Lucy‘s mind. The film’s music by Eric Serra is wonderful for its electronic-based score with some orchestral flourishes while the soundtrack would feature some electronic cuts and classical pieces for one major sequence in the film.

The casting by Nathalie Cheron is amazing as it features some notable small roles from Pilou Asbaek as a guy Lucy met a club and would put her in trouble, Julian Rhind-Tutt as a Limey, Jan Oliver Schroeder and Luca Angeletti as a couple of drug mules, Nicolas Phongpheth as Jang’s top henchman, and Analeigh Tipton as Lucy’s traveling companion in Taiwan. Amr Waked is excellent as the policeman Del Rio as a cop who is the first to see what Lucy can do as he would try to protect her while being the one person she can connect with from a humanity standpoint. Choi Min-sik is brilliant as Jang as this ruthless gangster who is hoping that the drug would make him money as there’s Min-sik has this very deranged quality that makes him a formidable villain.

Morgan Freeman is superb as Professor Samuel Norman as this researcher who realizes that Lucy is the key to the answers for everything he had been wanting to know about as well as the idea of what it might unleash. Finally, there’s Scarlett Johansson in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as this young woman who starts off as a typical American college student who is then put into a dangerous situation. It’s a performance that has Johansson display a lot of wit as well as this ability to be quite somber and eventually become less human as there is this eerie quality to her performance that just adds more weight to everything her character would endure.

While it is a very uneven film in tone, Lucy is still a stellar and fun film from Luc Besson that features an incredible performance from Scarlett Johansson in the titular role. While it is a film that dares to ask some big questions as well as be something that is entertaining though the overall results aren’t great. It is still an action that manages to be something different while showing that Luc Besson still has a few tricks up his sleeve. In the end, Lucy is a worthwhile film from Luc Besson.

Luc Besson Films: (Le Dernier Combat) - (Subway) - (The Big Blue) - (Nikita) - (Atlantis (1992 film)) - (Leon: The Professional) - (The Fifth Element) - (Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc) - (Angel-A) - (Arthur & the Invisibles) - (Arthur and the Revenge of Malthazard) - (The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec) - (Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds) - (The Lady (2011 film)) - (The Family (2013 film))

© thevoid99 2014

Million Dollar Baby

Based on the short stories Rope Burns by Jerry Boyd in his F.X. Toole pseudonym, Million Dollar Baby is the story of a boxing trainer who reluctantly trains a young woman to become a top boxer with the help of a friend as she seeks her dream to fight. Directed and starring Clint Eastwood and screenplay by Paul Haggis, the film is an unconventional boxing film in which a gym owner/trainer deals with setbacks as well as his own demons while finding some redemption in the young woman he would train. Also starring Hilary Swank, Jay Baruchel, Anthony Mackie, Michael Pena, Brian F. O’Byrne, Margo Martindale, and Morgan Freeman. Million Dollar Baby is a rich yet enthralling film from Clint Eastwood.

The film is an exploration into the world of boxing but from a different spectrum as a young woman in her 30s is eager to succeed as it’s the only thing she wants to do while working part time as a waitress. In seeking the help of a gym owner/veteran trainer who often finds himself in situations where he doesn’t take chances that could’ve helped his fighters. Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) does manage to sway Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to train her as she also gets help from Frankie’s friend Eddie “Scrap-Iron” Dupris (Morgan Freeman) who was once a great fighter only to lose his eyesight in one of his eyes. With Frankie helping Maggie to work her way to become a viable contender, Frankie also deals with the wounds in his life as it relates to the family he’s become estranged with as well as the bad decisions he’s made. Yet, the two would find something to fill the void they needed in their lives.

Paul Haggis’ screenplay does have a traditional structure where the first act is about Frankie dealing with the unanswered letters he sent towards his estranged daughter and becoming out of touch with the potential he has for his fighters. Often turning to Father Horvak (Brian F. O’Byrne) for guidance, Frankie doesn’t get the answers he needed until the presence of Maggie showing up to the gym trying to learn to fight forces him to be involved despite his own reluctance. The second act is about the growing bond between Frankie and Maggie in a father-daughter relationship of sorts as Maggie would use her success to give her family from Missouri a good home and money but instead, she gets berated for her generosity by her mother (Margo Martindale). The rejection from her mother would only strengthen Maggie’s relationship with Frankie as he would help her reach the top of the welterweight women’s division.

One aspect of the screenplay that is unique is the fact that is largely narrated by Eddie who watches everything that happens while he looks at the other fighters in Frankie’s gym into whether or not they have the potential to be any good. Eddie’s narration is key to the story where it fills in a few tidbits on the characters while talking about the art of boxing. While the film would be a boxing film for much of the film’s first two acts. It would have a major change in tone into something more dramatic for its third act.

Clint Eastwood’s direction is very low-key and intimate in the way he presents the scenes as he doesn’t go for a lot of wide shots. Instead, he keeps things simple and to the point while creating some unique compositions with medium shots and close-ups to help tell the story. Much of the drama is presented with a sense of simplicity while the boxing scenes do have a flair for style in the way the fights are choreographed and how engaging they can where it would allow the audience to root for Maggie in those fights. Even as it would have shots set outside of the ring to get the reaction from the people watching as well as Frankie watching from his corner as it has this fluidity in the way Eastwood presents the scenes.

While it is largely a drama as it would delve into elements of melodrama in its third act, Eastwood does inject some humor into the role as it is told with such subtlety that includes a scene of Frankie and Eddie talking about the latter’s socks with holes. Eastwood’s approach to balancing humor and drama does add something to the film that where it makes it more than a boxing drama as it it’s also a film about a man finding the void he lost with his own daughter as well as a woman finding the father figure she never had. Overall, Eastwood crafts a very poignant and compelling film about a man helping a young woman become a boxer.

Cinematographer Tom Stern does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it has this air of style with tinted-bluish colors while creating some unique lighting schemes in its shadows and such. Editor Joel Cox does brilliant work with the editing where some of it is straightforward while he plays into a lot of cutting styles for the fight scenes. Production designer Henry Bumstead, with set decorator Richard C. Goddard and art director Jack Taylor, does fantastic work with the look of the gym as it‘s a bit grimy as it plays to the world that Frankie and Eddie live in.

Costume designer Deborah Hopper does terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual while creating some very lovely robes for Maggie to wear when she gets ready for a fight. Sound editors Lucy Coldsnow-Smith and Alan Robert Murray do superb work with the sound from the way punches sound to the sound of people cheering in the boxing halls. The film’s music by Clint Eastwood is amazing for its eerie yet plaintive score as it is mostly low-key with its emphasis on acoustic guitars and lush string arrangements as it includes additional pieces by Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens.

The casting by Phyllis Huffman is incredible as it features some notable small roles from Mike Colter as a fighter Frankie trained who would leave him for a shot at the title, Michael Pena as a fighter who often trains at the gym, Anthony Mackie as a brash fighter, Riki Lindhome as Maggie’s white-trash sister, and Lucia Rijker as a German fighter Maggie goes after as she is known for her brutish style. Margo Martindale is excellent as Maggie’s mother who is only more concerned about living on welfare and take whatever money she has from Maggie than supporting her. Jay Baruchel is terrific as a young wannabe fighter in Danger Barch as a kid who has a lot of enthusiasm despite his lack of talent. Brian F. O’Byrne is superb as Father Horvak as a priest who doesn’t really like Frankie yet gives him some advice on the issues he’s dealing with.

Morgan Freeman is marvelous as Eddie “Scrap-Iron” Dupris as a former boxer who watches over the gym with Frankie while being the conscious of sorts in the film as he also looks at fighters who he felt could have potential including Maggie. Hilary Swank is remarkable as Maggie Fitzgerald as a woman in her 30s who just wants to make it as a boxer and win fights while wanting to get the approval of her mother only to find a father-figure in Frankie as Swank has great rapport with Eastwood. Finally, there’s Clint Eastwood in a tremendous performance as Frankie Dunn as man dealing with many issues as he finds the spark of life in Maggie who would give him the chance to find some redemption as he becomes troubled with his own estranged relationship with his daughter.

Million Dollar Baby is a phenomenal film from Clint Eastwood that features absolutely superb performances from Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. Not only is it a boxing film with substance but also a drama that explores a man finding a lost void in a woman who would become a daughter to him. In the end, Million Dollar Baby is a spectacular film from Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood Films: (Play Misty for Me) - High Plains Drifter - (Breezy) - (The Eiger Sanction) - (The Outlaw Josey Wales) - (The Gauntlet) - (Bronco Billy) - (Firefox) - (Honkytonk Man) - Sudden Impact - Pale Rider - (Heartbreak Ridge) - (Bird) - (White Hunter Black Heart) - (The Rookie) - Unforgiven - (A Perfect World) - (The Bridges of Madison County) - (Absolute Power) - (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) - (True Crime) - (Space Cowboys) - (Blood Work) - (Mystic River) - Flags of Our Fathers - Letters from Iwo Jima - Changeling - (Gran Torino) - (Invictus) - (Hereafter) - (J. Edgar) - (Jersey Boys) - American Sniper - (Sully) - (The 15:17 to Paris) - (The Mule)

© thevoid99 2014

The Dark Knight Rises

Based on the DC Comics, The Dark Knight Rises is the story of a battered Bruce Wayne who dons his role as Batman after an eight-year hiatus to battle a cat burglar and a large man who has taken over the League of Shadows who hopes to wreak havoc on Gotham. Directed by Christopher Nolan and screenplay by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan with story by Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film is the third and final part of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy as it follows Bruce Wayne in his quest to bring peace for Gotham as Christian Bale reprises the role. Also starring Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Ben Mendelsohn, Matthew Modine, and Tom Hardy as Bane. The Dark Knight Rises is a magnificent end to the Dark Knight trilogy from Christopher Nolan.

Eight years after the events that involved Harvey Dent’s death, Gotham lives in a world of peace but based on a lie as Commissioner James Gordon (Gary Oldman) starts to feel uneasy about the lie. Back at Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne is living a life as a recluse still lost over his grief and having Batman hide out. Yet, he learns that a cat burglar named Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) has broken into his safe as she had been trying to retrieve his fingerprints for a business rival in John Daggett (Ben Mendelsohn). Yet, Wayne learns about a far more sinister figure in a mercenary named Bane who plans to wreak havoc on Gotham. Realizing he needs to be Batman again, he has his left leg repaired while getting ready to face whoever as Bane has officially arrived at Gotham. Still, Wayne has to deal with his losses as he asks Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) to take over Wayne Enterprises with Lucius Fox’s help.

With Gordon recovering from a gunshot after discovering Bane’s hideout, he asks a young police officer in John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to watch over things as Peter Foley (Matthew Modine) takes when Bane finally storms Gotham’s financial stock market to wreak havoc. Yet, it would mark the first of his many confrontations with Batman who makes his return as Batman also confronts Kyle over her theft as she reveals what she’s been doing. She would eventually lead Batman to confront Bane where the confrontation proves to be disastrous for Wayne as he’s sent to a mysterious land that he cannot escape leaving Bane to destroy Gotham all by himself.

After learning some stories about the League of Shadows and having to see Gotham be on its own under Bane’s terror with help from a fusion device Wayne had hoped to use for clean energy. The fusion device becomes a bomb that will detonate leaving the people of Gotham in fear as its criminals are free leaving to do whatever they want. Having to see Bane’s destruction, Wayne realizes what he must do to destroy Bane and the League of Shadows from destroying Gotham as he’ll need the help of some people.

The film is about Bruce Wayne/Batman getting back in the swing of things when Gotham is being threatened by a terrorist who hopes to finish the job that Ra’s Al Ghul (Liam Neeson and Josh Pence as the younger Ra’s Al Ghul) was able to finish in Batman Begins. Yet, Batman also has to deal with a cat burglar who has been trying to steal things from him in order for a businessman to bankrupt Bruce Wayne as she eventually realizes that she is getting little in return as she eventually teams up with Wayne. It’s all about Bane’s plan to fulfill Ra’s Al Ghul’s desire to destroy Gotham at the pinnacle of its chaos and then rebuild it as a new society. Still, he has to face Batman and a few others who actually believe in good triumphing over evil.

While the screenplay does have trouble following along with what Bane is planning along with subplots revolving around John Daggett’s plans to bankrupt Bruce Wayne for the League of Shadows. It does succeed in fleshing out the characters and motivation as it centers around Wayne’s desire to finally return as Batman following an eight-year hiatus but finds himself facing foes that are more powerful than him. Particularly as his motivations get him into conflict with his longtime butler Alfred (Michael Caine) who believes that Wayne is headed for death where he eventually reveals a secret that he kept for eight years.

Then there’s Bane who is this villain that represents a physical force where literally in his confrontations with Batman but also conceptually in how he terrorizes Gotham. Yet, he’s also a very intelligent man who wants to punish Wayne for the lies he created eight years before and for wounding the League of Shadows several years before that. He may not be the anarchist of the Joker nor the more organized planning of Ra’s Al Ghul but Bane is still an interesting villain. While other new character like John Blake and Miranda Tate are also interesting with some back story about them. Another character who simply steals the show from everyone is Selina Kyle. Though she isn’t called Catwoman throughout the film, she is a character that is quite complex as she’s just a thief who likes to steal for herself while aiding others in hopes to clear her name. Yet, she has to deal with all sorts of things as she eventually becomes conflicted about stealing from Wayne once Bane starts to wreak havoc.

Christopher Nolan’s direction is definitely vast in the way he presents the film in its opening scene with this elaborate scene of a plane being captured by a bigger plane that is inter-cut with a scene of Bruce Wayne watching above Wayne Manor to see Commissioner Gordon praise Harvey Dent. It’s a big way to open a film that is ambitious but also intimate in the way Nolan creates small scenes involving Wayne’s own turmoil with his loss that includes a heartbreaking moment where Alfred makes a confession that becomes an emotional turning point for Wayne in his upcoming confrontation with Bane. Yet, there are few scenes where Batman appears as it’s mostly to do with Wayne’s struggle to find reasons to be Batman again while dealing with all of these new dark forces.

Through the vast compositions and big action scenes, Nolan’s direction is truly ambitious as it includes the climatic battle between Batman and Bane where there are revelations into how Batman must save Gotham from nuclear Armageddon. It’s all about creating suspense and moments where Nolan is waiting for the payoff as well as things where Wayne has to face some realities. While there’s a few things in the film that don’t work such as a fantasy sequence where Wayne sees Ra’s Al Ghul in a dream. Still, Nolan does enough for what is expected in a blockbuster superhero film genre with his rapturous shots and thrilling action sequences that does more than entertain. Overall, Nolan creates a truly solid film that ends his Dark Knight trilogy on a high note.

Cinematographer Wally Pfister does amazing work with the photography such as the vast opening sequence and other action sequence that carries a wide depth of field while creating amazing lighting schemes for some of the film‘s interior scenes. Editor Lee Smith does excellent work with the editing to play up the intensity of the action films as well as slowing things down to build up the suspense. Production designers Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh, with set decorator Paki Smith and art directors James Hambridge and Naaman Marshall, do spectacular work with the set pieces such as the new Batcave as well as Wayne Manor and the prison that Wayne is put in during the film‘s second half.

Costume designer Lindy Hemming does superb work with the costumes from the look of the Batsuit and Bane‘s costume to the gorgeous leather look of Selina Kyle‘s cat-suit. Visual effects supervisor Paul J. Franklin does terrific work with the minimal visual effects created such as the wide shots of the bridges blowing up as well as other shots involving the Batwing. Sound designer Richard King does brilliant work with the sound from the way the chants sound at the prison scene to the layering of sounds to exemplify the chaos that occurs in the film‘s second half. The film’s score by Hans Zimmer is wonderful for its percussive-driven score to play out the intensity of the action along with more low-key yet heavy orchestral themes to play up the drama.

The casting by John Papsidera and Toby Whale is incredible for the ensemble that is created for the film. With notable appearances from Liam Neeson and Josh Pence as Ra’s Ah Ghul with the latter in flashback scenes, other standouts include Juno Temple as Selina’s assistant Holly Robinson, Brett Cullen as a Congressman Selina woos, Thomas Lennon as a doctor, John Nolan as a Wayne Enterprises board member, Nestor Carbonell as Mayor Garcia, Alon Abutbul as the scientist Dr. Pavel that Bane kidnaps early in the film, Matthew Modine as deputy commissioner Foley, Chris Ellis as a priest John Blake confides in, Ben Mendelsohn as the slimy John Daggett, Burn Gorman’s as Daggett’s assistant Stryver, and Cillian Murphy reprising his role as Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in a mock trial scene.

Morgan Freeman is excellent as the always resourceful Lucius Fox while Michael Caine is brilliant as the very witty but concerned Alfred where the latter definitely pulls a lot of the emotional weight involving his relationship with Bruce Wayne. Marion Cotillard is excellent as philanthropist Miranda Tate who tries to get Bruce back in the world and be involved with a clean-energy machine that ends up being trouble. Gary Oldman is great as Commissioner Gordon who deals with the guilt he created from a lie as he becomes overwhelmed with facing Bane by himself only to find a new ally in John Blake. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is superb as John Blake, a hot-headed young cop turned detective who confronts Wayne about what really happened to Harvey Dent as well as try to figure out what Bane is doing. Tom Hardy is marvelous as Bane by exemplifying his physique as a huge force while proving to be a man of great intelligence and power as it’s definitely Hardy at his best.

Anne Hathaway is phenomenal as Selina Kyle where she definitely steals the show from everyone from the one-liners she gives to the way she is able to outwit Wayne in every way and form. It’s Hathaway bringing a lot of humor and physicality to a woman who can’t be trifled with as she gives out one of her greatest performances of her career. Finally there’s Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman where Bale gives another great performance by displaying the anguish and confusion of a man unsure if he’s willing to be Batman again while having to deal with all of these forces. It’s Bale creating a lot of realism to the character of Wayne while being more cunning as Batman where he is more unafraid to do whatever he needs to do to save Gotham.

The Dark Knight Rises is an exhilarating and thrilling film from Christopher Nolan. Thanks to a large ensemble cast that features top-of-the-line performances from Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman. It’s a film that definitely lives up to the hype though it doesn’t top its predecessors in terms of excitement and storytelling. It’s also a blockbuster that manages to excite but also engage for the way it reveals on what Batman must do to save the world. In the end, The Dark Knight Rises is an incredible film from Christopher Nolan.

Christopher Nolan Films: Following - Memento - Insomnia (2002 film) - Batman Begins - Prestige - The Dark Knight - Inception - Interstellar - Dunkirk - Tenet - Oppenheimer - The Auteurs #13: Christopher Nolan

Batman Films: (Batman (1966 film)) - Batman (1989 film) - Batman Returns - Batman Forever - Batman & Robin - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - The Lego Batman Movie - The Batman (2022 film)

© thevoid99 2012

The Dark Knight

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/20/08 w/ Additional Edits.

***In Memory of Heath Ledger (1979-2008)***

When Batman reemerged to the cinema in 2005, Christopher Nolan's new approach to the Caped Crusader returned Batman to his dark roots. With Christian Bale in the role of Bruce Wayne and Batman, 2005's Batman Begins was a huge hit as it resurrected the comic book hero after being lambasted with ridiculous storylines, bad puns, and such from 1997's Batman & Robin by Joel Schumacher. The return of Batman was greeted with rave reviews and huge box office as everyone is happy. With a new franchise emerging with Nolan and Bale leading the way. It was time for the franchise itself to step up to its epic vision as Nolan along with his brother Jonathan and Batman Begins co-writer David S. Goyer to make a new Batman movie that is even grander and more darker.

For the sequel entitled The Dark Knight, the film essentially picks up where Batman Begins left off. In that film's ending, the just-promoted Lieutenant James Gordon shows Batman a Joker's card. The card would signify the new foe Batman would face in The Dark Knight as he would also face a series of obstacles ranging from the physical to the emotional and mental. Directed by Christopher Nolan with a script he co-wrote with brother Jonathan based on the screen story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. The Dark Knight tells the story of Bruce Wayne playing Batman as he deals with overwhelming escalation among the mob and other criminals while wanting a normal life. With the arrival of new district attorney Harvey Dent, Wayne hopes for the new D.A. to succeed despite the fact that he's dating Wayne's former flame Rachel Dawes. Meanwhile, a new criminal has arrived to wreak havoc on Gotham itself as he's called the Joker.

Based on the comic book by Bob Kane along with characters created by Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, the story is inspired by the comic story Batman: The Long Halloween as well as The Killing Joke story written by Alan Moore. The film takes Batman to newer, darker levels as he faces the Joker whose sense of chaos and lack of remorse makes him the ultimate villain that Batman has to face. Along the way, Batman would face more villains aside from the mob and the Scarecrow when Dent would eventually become another main villain named Two-Face.

With Bale returning for the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne along with previous Batman Begins cast members Michael Caine as Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Gary Oldman as James Gordon, and Cillian Murphy as the Scarecrow. The film also stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Eric Roberts, Michael Jai White, Anthony Michael Hall, Nestor Carbonell, William Fichter, Melinda McGraw, Nathan Gamble, and in one of his final performances, Heath Ledger as the Joker. The Dark Knight is an eerie, epic, and haunting masterpiece from Christopher Nolan and company.

More than a year after his arrival into Gotham City, Batman has managed to make Gotham a bit safer. The bad news is that copycat vigilantes has tried to do what Batman has done but often causing trouble. Especially as the Caped Crusader manages to capture former foe Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) who is trying to make deals with the mob. Yet, Batman has also received a lot of heat from the police and press. Then hope arrives in the form of new district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) who decides to help rid Gotham of crime. Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Batman hopes that Dent will do the job after an attempt in putting Sal Maroni (Eric Roberts) on trial. Maroni and another mob boss in Gambol (Michael Jai White) turn to a Chinese business accountant named Lau (Chin Han) to help in saving their money. Maroni also turns to a psychotic criminal named the Joker for help as he decides that the only option to help themselves is to kill Batman.

With Dent now becoming a rising public figure, he is also dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), the assistant DA as Bruce Wayne realizes that his hopes to win Rachel's heart are not going to be easy. Even as he tries to deal with his role as Batman as he lives in a penthouse with faithful butler Alfred (Michael Caine) while running his enterprise with CEO Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). Fox and Wayne tried to make a deal with Lau where in truth, Wayne suspects Lau of taking money from the mob for their protection as he, Fox, and Alfred go to Hong Kong to capture Lau so he can testify against Maroni. With Dent managing to gather evidence against Maroni, things seem to go well until the Joker creates assassinations and such as he also targets Dent. Yet, the Joker comes face-to-face with Batman.

With another assassination attempt on the mayor (Nestor Carbonell) thwarted, Dent and Batman make a plan to capture the Joker with Gordon's help as Rachel stays at Bruce's for protection after she learned she's being targeted. Dent, Batman, and Gordon's plan to capture the Joker succeeds only to somehow, backfire because of the Joker's plan. The plan would involve the scarring of Harvey Dent as Bruce Wayne is forced to deal with the weight of being Batman. The Joker frees himself from jail as he decides to wreak more havoc into Gotham as he corrupts Harvey into becoming Two-Face as Batman realizes what limits he must take to save Gotham from the maniacal mind of the Joker.

In Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan tells the story of Batman's origins as he shows audiences how Bruce Wayne became the Caped Crusader as he understands what he must do and what he cannot do. In The Dark Knight, Wayne is forced to see how far he can be pushed and if he can restrain himself. What the film is about is Wayne trying to return to normal life in some ways as he lays all of his hopes on Harvey Dent. Then when the Joker arrives, everything completely goes to hell as he wreaks havoc on Gotham as he tries to prove a point of how even the most pure person can be corrupted through unspeakable means.

Yet, the core story of the film is Batman and Jim Gordon trying to battle the Joker as they realize that the Joker's intentions is to prove that there's no such thing as purity, honor, and justice. Batman and Dent tries to prove otherwise but once Dent is scarred on all levels, he becomes corrupted to the point that everything he is supposed to stand for is out of the window. Yet, this leaves the Joker the opportunity to create anarchy in Gotham as his true colors is the fact that he's a man who works for himself and only himself. The mob and gangs are nothing to him as simply pawns of his game. He also plays a different game with Batman as he tries to get him to reveal himself while hoping to have him destroyed. Yet, he's the man that likes to push Batman's buttons into doing things to try and make Batman break his one rule, to not kill.

Christopher Nolan along brother Jonathan and co-story writer David S. Goyer create a very complex, epic story that is a comic book film but with something more. The film in some ways is a character study on Batman/Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent/Two-Face, and the Joker. While it's clear that Wayne's motivations is simply to protect Gotham from harm, the Joker doesn't have motivation other than the fact that he just likes to create chaos in a world that he feels is impure. Then there's Harvey Dent, a man who is clearly on the world of good as he wants to clean up the streets and be the White Knight to protect Gotham. Though as Dent, there's shades of his dark side as he's even pushed to the limits. When he becomes Two-Face, the coin that he carries becomes his decider as he ends up being a character with very little remorse and hopes to prove that the Joker's argument for disorder is right.

The script by the Nolan brothers is more straightforward than their previous films as it doesn't rely on flashbacks and such. Instead, Christopher Nolan sets up scenes and things that would create a sense of momentum with the script's structure. The opening scene begins with a bank robbery that involved the Joker and fellow thieves to give the idea of what kind of man the Joker is. The first act is about Batman/Bruce Wayne's hope for Harvey Dent to take over while dealing with Rachel falling for Harvey. The second act involves the capture of the Joker and the beginning of Dent's corruption. The third is Batman dealing with the chaos the Joker has created and the outcome of what Dent has become. The film's ending is complex in not just on what was lost but how to cope with the outcome for both Batman and Jim Gordon.

Nolan's direction is truly astonishing as he creates a look and atmosphere that is purely epic and grand in its vision. With locations shot largely in Chicago and parts of Hong Kong, the film has a look that remains true to the grittiness of Batman Begins but on a far more grander scale. Especially in a few sequences that were shot with IMAX-made cameras like the opening bank scene, the nighttime Hong Kong scene, and other big action scenes. What Nolan also does is rely less on CGI-computer created images and have more realistic look whether its stunts or make-up in the case of Two-Face. Nolan creates a sense of momentum for some of the film's action sequences that also gear towards drama. The film also has some light humor that is also matched by the maniacal yet dark humor of the Joker.

Now some audiences might complain that the film is too dark and too long. It's dark because Batman is meant to be dark. Bruce Wayne has a sense of humor but Batman doesn't. Nolan understands this because, since he's a comic book fan. He knows that Batman has always intended to be this dark, adult figure who isn't really a hero. He's an anti-hero in some respects. The reason it's long is because given that Nolan wants an epic story that lives up to the larger-than-life figures that is Batman and the Joker. These are two men who are in some ways, equals as they give into adult themes that might be too heavy to understand if the audience are kids. What they know is that Batman is a good guy and the Joker is a bad guy. Nolan understands this but he knows that children have an idea of who Batman is and what he represents. His point of view more has to do with the original comics which aren't exactly kid-friendly. That's why kids might have more fun watching something like Spider-Man, who's a more accessible, friendlier super-hero.

Nolan obviously draws some of his cinematic inspirations from Michael Mann's Heat for some of the film's sequences while also taking notes from classic crime dramas which the film in some ways, is. It's a simple crime drama about a man wearing cape who teams up with a new district attorney, and a top police official to fight the mob unaware that they're going up against a figure of terror named the Joker. Nolan has to create a film within those simple plot lines but add dark touches that aren't easy to divulge as it's a film that also has a sense of tragedy. The tragedy more involves in what Batman has to play and what he must sacrifice in order to save Gotham. What Christopher Nolan creates overall is a huge film with a large canvas and a grand story as it's a film that is not just superior than the previous Batman films but raises the bar for all super-hero films based on comic books.

Cinematographer Wally Pfister creates a sharp, gritty look to the film with wonderful shading and colors to fit the mood of the film. From the daytime exteriors that rarely has moments of sunny, bright colors to the eerie nighttime exteriors for some of the scenes shot in Chicago with sepia-drenched colors for the city lights and highways and at times, very little color. In the Hong Kong scene, Pfister's use of blue colors and bright lights are truly brilliant with jaw-dropping presentation as it stays true to its grand look. Pfister's use of colors for the interior also pays true to the look of the Gotham exteriors in its nighttime scenes for its eerie tone as Pfister's photography is a highlight of the film.

Editor Lee Smith does a great job in maintaining the film's leisurely yet stylish pacing approach while creating scenes of tense drama to cut from segment and then to another, and another to create momentum. Smith also does superb work in creating a rhythm for the film's action scenes to create a sense of tension and build-up that is magnificent. Production designer Nathan Crowley along with art director Simon Lamont and set decorator Peter Lando do an amazing job in creating the new secret place where Bruce Wayne and Alfred work at along with the gadgets workshop that Fox has made. Even the gadgets that were created by special effects Chris Corbuld for the action scenes including the Batpod are truly brilliant.

Costume designer Lindy Hemming does an amazing job with the look of the Joker's costumes are truly demonic yet stylish while the Batsuit is given a grittier look that is true to the tone of the film. And no, there are no nipples in the Batsuit! Makeup designers John Caglione Jr., Linda Rizzuto, and Vicki Vacca are great to create the grungy makeup look of the Joker while the look of Two-Face with help from visual effects supervisor Nick Davis is also demonic to unveil the corruption of Harvey Dent. Sound designer Richard King does a fantastic job in the layering of sounds for some of the film's high-octane action sequences as well as sound of the Joker's sinister laughter that is chilling to hear.

The music score of composers James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer is brilliant as it lives up to its grand scale. Howard and Zimmer create fast-building, momentum-driven pieces to convey the sense of action and drama while having moments of screeching violins to play up to the film's sense of horror that accompanies the Joker. The score overall is truly brilliant as it's one of the year's best score work that is filled with huge arrangements, bass-heavy sounds, and layers of synthesizers to create a dark mood.

The casting by John Papsidera is phenomenal for its collection of actors with several appearances being very memorable. Small performances from Melinda McGraw as Jim Gordon's wife, Nathan Gamble as Gordon's son, Beatrice Rosen as Wayne's date Natascha, Nydia Rodriguez Terracina as a judge, Ritchie Coster as a Chechen accomplice of Maroni, and Tommy "Tiny" Lister as a prisoner in a ferry scene who makes a decision relating to the Joker's reign of terror. Other notable small appearances include Joshua Harto as a suspicious employee of Wayne Enterprises who tries to expose who Batman is while Anthony Michael Hall plays newscaster Mike Engel who also tries to expose Batman's identity. Nestor Carbonell is good as the town's mayor while Monique Curnen is also good as Gordon's fellow detective Ramirez.

Michael Jai White has an excellent yet small memorable role as gang leader Gambol who doesn't trust the Joker while returning from Batman Begins, Colin MacFarlane as Commissioner Loeb and Cillian Murphy as the Scarecrow where the latter gives a great cameo appearance. Eric Roberts is in fine, slimy form as Sal Maroni, a mob boss who tries to do his business as he ends up having a scary confrontation with Batman. Chin Han is good as the charming yet conniving Lau, an accountant who ends up getting into trouble with Batman. In the film's opening bank robbery scene, William Fichter gives a great performance as a heroic bank manager who tries to battle the Joker only to realize what kind of power the man has.

Taking over for Katie Holmes in the role of Rachel Dawes, Maggie Gyllenhaal is excellent as Bruce Wayne's love interest as she plays a woman conflicted in her feelings for Bruce and Harvey. Gyllenhaal's performance truly surpasses what Holmes brought in the previous film as Gyllenhaal is more engaging, more subtle, and sassier as she has great chemistry with both Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart while having a great scene with Michael Caine. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine both do superb work in their respective roles as Lucius Fox and Alfred. Freeman adds a lot of subtle humor and charm to the character of Fox while Caine plays the moral conscience of the film as he has some funny one-liners while being the lone father figure that Bruce needed. Gary Oldman is brilliant in his role as Lieutenant James Gordon, a good-hearted cop who is trying to capture the Joker and bring peace to Gotham as he had to take risks that involves his family while being the moral center for both Batman and Harvey Dent.

Aaron Eckhart is phenomenal in the role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face, a man who brings hope to Gotham City as he carries a coin that he's convinced gives him good luck. Eckhart displays a lot of charm and wit to Dent yet as he turns into Two-Face. Eckhart displays the sense of madness and terror as he becomes someone corrupted as he is tormented in what he lost as he becomes the very thing he is trying to fight against. Christian Bale is great as the character of Bruce Wayne and Batman as Bale brings a complexity to a man pondering about the role of the Caped Crusader. Bale's sense of torment and confusion adds a new layer to Bruce Wayne and Batman as he's wondering if he should do things he shouldn’t do while trying to be the hero that can save Gotham. It's a great performance from Bale as he adds new dimensions to the Dark Knight.

Finally, in his penultimate performance, Heath Ledger gives a rousing, maniacal, humorous, and certainly anarchic performance that is truly unforgettable as the Joker. Had he not died this past January, this performance surely would've made him into one of this generation’s great actors. What Ledger brings is a twisted, eerie, and psychotic performance that is more definitive and a lot closer to what the Joker is in the comics. Less comical than Cesar Romero in the original TV series and far less chew-scenery than Jack Nicholson in the 1989 film version by Tim Burton. Ledger's performance as the Joker is miles away from what those two actors have brought to the character. He has a great sense of humor that is very dark. He likes to create a lot of chaos, he can do lots of lip-smack that is creepy. There's layers to what Ledger brings to the character.

The portrayal of the Joker isn't some caricature or a one-dimensional villain. Ledger sees him as a man who is all about chaos, who doesn't think of good in the world. Ledger creates a villain that is just full of terror as even the men he's hired by are intimidated by him once they see on what he can do. He's someone that's not motivated by money, by revenge, or anything. Ledger makes sure the Joker is a man who likes chaos as Ledger makes the character of the Joker simply larger than life. For the late, 28-year old Australian actor who has brought such memorable performances as a young knight, a poetic junkie, a conflicted gay cowboy, and a troubled version of Bob Dylan. The role as the Joker is a definitive, mesmerizing, and certainly iconic performance from the late, great Heath Ledger.

The Dark Knight is a thrilling, superb, and supremely epic blockbuster film from Christopher Nolan and company featuring great performances from Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, and most of all, Heath Ledger. Fans of the Batman film series will no doubt be amazed at what Nolan does as he exceeds all the expectations that's raised for the film. Though young audiences, particularly kids might feel overwhelmed by its length and dark tone, audiences who love comic book and heavy crime drama will truly enjoy this film for its epic scale and eerie atmosphere. Though its unclear how Nolan and his team will try and top the third installment of the Batman series. It's clear about one thing, The Dark Knight is truly the most definitive and certainly the best of all super-hero films that's ever made.

Christopher Nolan Films: Following - Memento - Insomnia (2002 film) - Batman Begins - The Prestige - Inception - The Dark Knight Rises - Interstellar - Dunkirk - Tenet - Oppenheimer - The Auteurs #13: Christopher Nolan

Batman Films: (Batman (1966 film)) - Batman (1989 film) - Batman Returns - Batman Forever - Batman & Robin - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - The Lego Batman Movie - The Batman (2022 film)

© thevoid99 2011